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Tobacco Everywhere
For making cigars, tobacco is grown all around the world, from Poland to South Africa, from Argentina to Canada and, westbound, from Philippines to Mexico. But cigar tobaccos are mainly grown in the intertropical areas.
Tobacco Origin
Tobacco is known as a plant originally from America. Some species were identified in South Pacific. There are many species and varieties. Not all of them are used in smoking products. Many are grown as ornamental plants as they are frequently blooming, showing colors from white to dark red and purple.
Here are some of the countries in which tobacco is grown, to produce your cigars.
Argentina grows dark air-cured tobacco in the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes, and flue cured tobacco in the area of Salta. Misiones has also a production of Burley type. These tobaccos are mainly for cigarettes but Corrientes is appreciated for short filler cigars because of its smooth taste. Argentina used to be a big producer and exporter but changes in the economic and income tax policies have seriously damaged the production, making the tobacco too expensive to be competitive on the international market. Consequently, production volumes have decreased.
Brazil is one of the largest world's tobacco producers. The East Central State of Bahia is an important cigar tobacco growing area, about 100 miles west of the state capital, Salvador da Bahia, an active port on the Atlantic Coast. The Northern State of Alagoas hosts a production around the city of Arapiraca where maduro cigar wrappers are grown. The Southern states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina produce tobacco for cigarettes and pipe.
Cameroon cigar wrappers are grown in the East part of the country. The growing area spreads over the eastern border, into the Central African Republic. Wrappers are air grown, without fertilizers and pesticides, by small farmers. The average plantation size is about one acre. The seed is originally from Sumatra, introduced in the country just after WWII. Grown first for French Monopoly needs, the tobacco was offered on the international market when production was too large for this single use. Well appreciated by European manufacturers and large American cigars companies, Cameroon wrapper production dropped down during the late 1980s, due to poor management. Today, quantities are small and quality could be better.
Dark air cured tobaccos are produced in Mexico, mainly in Vera Cruz and Tampico provinces, on the East Coast along the Golf. There is also some production in Yucatan. Previously a state-owned operation, it is now handled by private individuals and cooperatives. Mexican tobacco is very dark and the best leaves can be used as maduro wrappers. In San Andres de Tuxtla (Vera Cruz), there is a very interesting production of Sumatra seed wrappers.
In Philippines, tobacco growing is concentrated in the Northern part of the main island of Luzon. Traditionally, dark tobacco for cigars was grown and Philippines' cigars were very famous, under the powerful Compania General de Tabaccos de Filipinas. They probably declined because they were too mild. Today, Philippines still grows dark tobacco and has developed a production of flue-cured tobacco for blond cigarettes.
Zimbabwe is among the top three countries for high quality flue cured tobacco (with the USA and Brazil). The embargo that hit the country, when it was still Rhodesia, did not hurt the production. It made the Rhodesians more inventive and they went on producing. At this time, Zambia and Tanzania, the neighboring countries were selling a lot! When the embargo was lifted in 1980 allowing us to deal directly, we discovered a fascinating organization and equipment, the best in the world. Tobacco was the top activity of the country and getting a job in tobacco was a challenge for many young men. The actual Zimbabwean agrarian policy , which we won't discuss here, will probably strike this country off the list of tobacco producers. Cigar industry will not suffer as flue-cured tobaccos are mainly concerned. Brazil should be the major beneficiary of this situation.
CBD Ejuice Near Me
Best Vape and Cigar Shop In Utah
Although frowned upon for being a partaker in the multitude of tobacco-caused fatalities reported each year, nicotine in freebase form can have remarkable effects on the body; most, if not all of them being remedially beneficial.
Nicotine, in and of itself, does not cause disease. One of nicotine's metabolites, cotinine, improves memory and protects brain cells from diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's according to a recent government study. Alzheimer's disease is caused by a loss of nicotinic receptors in the brain resulting acetylcholine deficiency. Without the chemical acetylcholine, the brain's memory function becomes impaired and numerous other adverse mental conditions develop. By artificially replacing acetylcholine through nicotine therapy, the damaging effects of Alzheimer's diseases on the brain are inhibited. These findings are recent and still undergoing research to develop more sophisticated treatment methods. Experimental treatment of genetically modified rats has proven to be incredibly successful, but nicotine therapy may take years until endorsed by medical authorities and utilized as a known treatment option.
Despite nicotine's curative powers, its legacy of merciless carnage through tobacco related illnesses overshadows its advantages. But it was not until recently, that technology may soon change the face of its name. It has inflicted the lives of many with it powerful addictive force, however, as technology continues to progress and as research continues to cultivate new discoveries, the drug that has taken the lives of many has a promising outlook for an opposite effect.


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New Decade. New Diaper.™
After years of experience, Nicki the owner of Nicki's Diapers created a new diaper taking the pros of all the different diapering systems and eliminated the cons. This resulted in the Best cloth diaper system available - trimmest fitting and highly absorbent! To help reduce early confusion and the overwhelming feeling when researching cloth diapers, the Best Bottom diapers has simplified cloth diapering while making one of the most economical systems. The Best Bottom one size diapering system is not a pocket diaper, not an all in one, not a fitted diaper and not a prefold system...it is the best of all types!
About Best Bottom Diapers!
Best Bottom Diapers is an awesome new One Size style that fits from birth to 35+ pounds. With Best Bottom Diapers you get the convenience & money savings of the One Size diapering system along with a better fit because of the customizable inserts.
Best Bottom Diapers system offers 3 different sizes of inserts to snap into the PUL cover. You will have the perfect fit with this diaper because the insert will be the size your baby needs. There are also a variety of inserts available depending on your absorption needs. The Stay Dry Insert consists of 4 layers of microfiber and topped with a soft no-pill fleece to pull away wetness from the baby. There is also a Hemp/Organic Insert that consists of 5 layers of hemp/Certified cotton topped with a soft layer of hemp/Certified Organic cotton fleece. If you typically need extra coverage over night, add an Overnight Insert and it will give you 6 layers of microfiber or a Doubler Insert which is 2 layers of microfiber to keep your baby leak free. All of these inserts are super trim and still offer excellent absorption.
Best Bottom Diapers, simply adjust the rise setting in the front of the diaper and then snap in your insert inside the diaper. The inserts have two snaps which keep them fastened at both ends of the diaper to prevent slipping while inside the diaper. When it is time to change baby's diaper and the cover is unsoiled, just unsnap the soiled insert and snap a clean one in place.
Best Bottom Diapers recommends purchasing as many shells(covers) as your baby poos in a 2-3 day time period. To make it simple you will need approximately 8-10 shells and 24 inserts per size.
Our Best Bottom Diapers Experience!
When I found out Nicki from Nicki's Diapers was constructing her own diaper several months ago I was really excited! I have purchased many diapers from her including my beloved Haute Pockets.
We received the Blue Moon color and it is beautiful. I love two-toned colored diapers, so right away I love the look of these diapers. The PUL is thick yet still soft. I admit, when I first saw the inserts I wasn't so sure that they would provide the absorption I would need for Ethan. I have at least 6 layers of microfiber in each of his diapers now. Boy was I wrong! The inserts really hold so much and they are super trim to boot. They snap in the cover easily and are easy to snap back out (that's a plus when you are changing a poo diaper!).
I was able to achieve a nice fit around his waist and legs. I love the fact these diapers have gussets and they do an excellent job of keeping stuff in the diaper. We have used the Best Bottom Diaper for day time, nap time and night time and have not experienced any leaks.
I think Nicki has done a superb job creating a diaper that is not only economical, but also provides a leak-free and really trim looking diapering system.
Our Favorite Features of the Best Bottom Diapers!
- Gussets! They are a must when you have a running toddler.
- SUPER trim!
- Inserts provide wonderful absorption.
- Beautiful colors to choose from.
- Made in the USA.
BUY IT! You can purchase directly from Best Bottom Diapers Retailers.
You have the chance to enter several entries by the doing the following. Each one counts as 1 entry unless otherwise specified.
- MANDATORY ENTRY-counts as 1: Go to Best Bottom Diapers and look around. Tell me what feature you like about the diaper and what color you would like if you win.
- Follow my blog publicly. THIS COUNTS AS 5 ENTRIES! Comment for each entry separately as "I follow your blog publicly #1", etc.
- Subscribe to my blog via email with Feedburner (on right side bar). Counts as 2 entries!
- Blog about my giveaway before April 26th, linking back to this giveaway. Leave the URL where you blogged.
- Grab my Take Time to Smell the Rose button. Leave URL where it is posted.
- Grab my Take Time to Share Your Giveaway Sunday button. Leave URL where it is posted.
- Follow Smell_the_Rose on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. After initial "tweet" you may gain an extra entry each day. Limit 1 tweet a day. Leave URL where you tweeted in your comment.
- Follow Nicki's Diapers on Twitter.
- Follow the Nicki's Diapers blog publicly with Google Friend.
- Grab any of the 3 blog buttons on Nicki's Diapers blog. 1 entry for each.
Please copy and paste this for your tweets:
Win Best Bottom Diapers #clothdiapers at @nickisdiapers & @smell_the_rose !! Open to USA & Canada. http://tiny.cc/BestBottoms
Giveaway ends Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.(CST) Winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will also be announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

subset: commoncrawl


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Astronomers are abuzz over what could be our very first glimpse of a planet being born in the dust surrounding a young star some 350 light-years away from the earth, but don't start passing out cigars just yet.
The star T Chamaeleontis (T Cha) is only a faint dot in the small southern constellation of Chameleon to us, but to astronomers it is a goldmine of information. T Cha is much like our own Sun, only younger and sexier. At a mere seven million years old, it's no wonder astronomers like it better. Let's hope the interest holds up now that T Cha might be a parent.
Like many young stars, T Cha is surrounded by a ring of dust known as a protoplanetary disc. It's from this dust that objects like planets, trans-Neptunian objects (stupid Pluto), and other bits of solar system debris are formed. Up until now astronomers haven't been able to study activity in these young dust rings. The Very Large Telescope, powerful array of four optical telescopes located in Chile, has changed all that.
"Earlier studies had shown that T Cha was an excellent target for studying how planetary systems form," notes Johan Olofsson (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany), one of the lead authors of two papers in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics that describe the new work. "But this star is quite distant and the full power of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) was needed to resolve very fine details and see what is going on in the dust disc."
Astronomers first viewed T Cha using the AMBER instrument (Astronomical Multi-BEam combineR), which combines the light from all four telescopes into one cohesive image. That's when they noticed the gap. There's an inner dust ring some 20 million kilometers from the star, followed by a gap, which is in turn followed by the majority of the dust disk, stretching some 1.1 billion kilometers from the star. Mind the gap, it might be a planet.
Nuria Huélamo (Centro de Astrobiología, ESAC, Spain), the lead author of the second paper takes up the story: "For us the gap in the dust disc around T Cha was a smoking gun, and we asked ourselves: could we be witnessing a companion digging a gap inside its protoplanetary disc?"
From there astronomers tacked on a special NACO adaptive optics instrument to the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, allowing very dim objects to be seen more clearly alongside very bright objects. Analysis of the new imagery discovered the signature of an object much smaller than T Cha itself one billion kilometers from the star - about the same distance as Jupiter sits from our sun.
Astronomers still need to determine if the object is a brown dwarf star (boring) or an actual planet (hooray!), but either way this is an exciting moment for space science.
Huélamo concludes: "This is a remarkable joint study that combines two different state-of-the-art instruments at ESO's Paranal Observatory. Future observations will allow us to find out more about the companion and the disc, and also understand what fuels the inner dusty disc."
Planet Formation in Action? [European Southern Observatory]


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|Movers and Shakers Seminar Program
A Mover and Shaker is someone with power and influence in a certain field. Our Scouts meet with such notables as the Mayor, Police Chief, business leaders, community leaders, and anyone the Scouts would like to meet with who is doing something new and interesting in the community. Our Scouts get the opportunity to acquire knowledge from some of the most successful people in the community!
Interactive Seminars
The Seminars our Scouts attend are interactive sessions in which our Scouts acquire new information via learning-by-doing.
A group of no more than 50 Scouts meet with a particular Mover and Shaker once a week. The next week, the Scouts meet with a different Mover and Shaker. Over the course of 4-8 weeks, our Scouts meet with a different Mover and Shaker every week, allowing them the opportunity to meet many people and acquire a lot of new knowledge.
Contacting Movers and Shakers
Our Scouts choose the Movers and Shakers they would like to meet with. Similar to the Activity Buffet, a Scout volunteers to telephone the chosen Mover and Shaker, making it clear when the seminar is, where it is, and exactly what is expected of them, such as an interactive demonstration. The initial call should come no less than 2 weeks before the date the Scouts would like that person to lead their Seminar. Obviously, a Mover and a Shaker is busy! Scouts contact all the Movers and Shakers they want to meet with before the Seminars begin and set up a schedule so the Scouts know the days and times they need to be available.
Our older Scouts (14+) get the chance to participate in adventure of their own, and one is to meet and interact with community leaders and other "movers and shakers" in their community.
The advantages of this program are that our Scouts interact with successful people who have achieved a great deal in their lives. Whether it is a business leader or a someone who had dedicated their life to community service, our Scouts get the chance to acquire knowledge directly from the source. This program also provides our Scouts with the opportunity to make valuable contacts in the community among those who make hiring decisions and are in a position to give our Scouts advice on what they need to do to succeed in a particular field.


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Top Trainers DVD Set Giveaway!
So my boo and I recently signed up to run a half-marathon this October (with the PETA Pack), and I have to be honest, we have been slacking on getting in shape! Eeks!
I'm going to kick my keester into high gear starting this week though (promise). ← For realsies! Next time you see me, you might not even recognize me, and you'll be like "Girl, where'd all your jiggly bits go?" (I'll try to keep some of my jiggly bits, though… the ones that count!)
Anywho, I'm going to use the Top Trainers DVD set to get all sexy and bufftitudinal! What's awesome about this particular 10 dvd set is that it combines a variety of 10 workouts with 10 different top-notch trainers, so it's a mixture of cardio, yoga, plyometrics, Latin dance, kickboxing, pilates, ballet and interval training—all FUN (and never boring)! I'm super excited, and I want you to get excited too, 'cause VBR has a Top Trainers DVD set up for grabs!
For your chance to win this Top Trainers workout DVD set ($100 value), simply leave a comment below telling me about one of your favorite ways to get in shape. A winner will be randomly selected and notified on July 26. Good luck!
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at email@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
Filed in: giveaway • vegan lifestyle
Comments (46)
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I love doing Insanity and playing football!!
I love running and hiking! : )
My favorite way to get in shape is playing beach volleyball and hiking; they are fun activites that get people outside, rather than trapped in a gym.
My favorite way to get in shape is ripped in 30 + 200 sit ups a day, but I need something more to amp up my workout.
For me its a toss up between yoga/pilates and running outdoors. They are both FAB workouts, it just depends on the mood I am in 🙂
I really like to go cycling with my hubs. But when we really want a day in, we do the workout videos (mostly made by Crunch) that are available on Netflix!
walking, walking, walking is what fits best into my life-with-toddler right now, but running is also classic – either one ALWAYS get results! My toddler is starting to enjoy trying some yoga with me now so that is also fun. I also have some serious pilates love if I can ever find non-toddler time.
The other thing I swear by? STRETCHING! It may not burn as many calories, but even stretching alone increases fitness levels and makes those muscles feel ohsomuch better!
I love running and biking. I just find oth so easy to do, rather I am in a bad mood or not I can just get up and go.
Yoga, running, walking, eliptical and DVDs at home because I have a 1 and a half year old and a five month old!
I love doing all kinds of workouts so i dont get bored. right now Im doing TurboJam and swimming (with my kids).
I love doing workout dvds. that way I can mix it up and don't get bored.
i love running with my baby boy and my two doggies, now that it's so hot i have to find something else THIS sounds like the PERFECT thing for me !!!
Not working out right now due to pregnancy complications, but I will need it in a few months! Normally I do exercise DVDs.
My favorite workout is a toss up between Yoga/Pilates and Jogging Outdoors. I like to jog in the early morning and then do some yoga/pilates later in the evening. It is a great way to relax 🙂
I love to walk/jog around Shelley lake (a lake that's about 10 minutes away from my house). It's beautiful, and shaded by trees and the lake sparkles. It also has a few hills and lots of places to sit and enjoy the view. It's also about 2.5 miles around and I like to go around twice. It doesn't even feel like exercise.
I also enjoy my Jillian Michaels shred DVDs at home. And at the gym, the elliptical is my best friend.
On my lunch hour at work, I speed walk all around my building!
I love Jillian Michaels DVDs – she keeps things varied and I love interval training anyway!
I could definitely use a good workout! Always wanted to try yoga and pilates. 🙂
I love spin class and the trainer incorporated upper body with a medicine ball and ribbon. great workout!
I desperately need a way to get in shape!
I am all about yoga! Love some fast-paced walks with the hubby when the weather allows, too.
I currently love Zumba and Body Pump. I'm not into running, but I do love to walk a lot, and bike ride as well.
Yoga is definitely my favorite workout! It keeps me balanced and focused!
I've found that walking daily is really helpful (we don't own a car and live in Japan, where everyone walks tons and there are very few obese folks). Combine that with high weight, low rep free weight work. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I like doing interval training on the elliptical.
Krav Maga and running are my favorites along with the occasional Jillian Michaels dvd. I'd like to add some yoga and Tahitian dance as well.
My fave way to get in shape is a mixture of lifting weights and then running…used to be just running but I love the muscle definition I am seeing since I started a lifting routine!!
Zumba is my new favorite workout but also love just running and biking
What is this "getting in shape" thing that you speak of?! haha j/k I just do cardio on the treadmill and yoga. Occasionally I will do some "aerobic weight training" with a VHS tape of the Firm from the 80's. yikes!
Running….and running and running….chasing my kid and dogs then running and running
The combination of walking/running, weight training, and yoga. I can thank these three babies for being in shape and feeling awesome.
Going for walks with my dog.
I LOVE kickboxing! =)
:O These look awesome.
I love doing yoga, but I do the same old boring yoga videos. (Tara Stiles has an awesome youtube channel)
I don't want to spend money on going to a class. Hook ya girl up! 😀
For me it would definitely be Yoga and Dancing, however I really like to go for a jog from time to time. 🙂
Thanks for doing such an amazing giveaway! ^^
Mine is very simple but has shown results. Brisk walk on my treadmill while listeningto my IPOD..
Dancing was my favorite forever and I still love it, but I've also become addicted to spin class! It always kicks my butt and I feel so badass afterwards.
This DVD looks amazing! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I love the Wii, you can have so much fun on there while getting fit!
I don't follow a regimen unless I have a friend to keep me in check. So jogging with friends is probably my best bet.
Last summer I did P90X (which kicked my butt!), but I would love to try something that has more variety – like the latin dance, pilates, and ballet that are part of this workout. Good luck with your training!
Thanks for the chance to win! I love p90x!
This video sounds amazing! I just had a baby and am looking for a way to get back into shape. I used to do a couple of Crunch fitness videos, but yoga has always been a favorite of mine.
I like a variety. Right now I'm really into Pilates.
I enjoy jogging on a great wooded trail and occasional taebo dvd's.
My favorite activity has always been swimming!
I love spin class! It burns so many calories and I feel great afterwards!


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Today I was out and about looking for past roundups on TSQLTuesday. While doing that, I came across a post from Paul Randal (Blog | Twitter) about wait stats. The thing that strikes me about this post is the great query and the excellent references to more resources. I recommend that you check out the article he has written on the topic. Also, make sure you read the reference material he has provided.
You can find it here.


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This project was also featured by Amanda at Serenity Now (I LOVE the name of this blog)
Amanda has a link party each Friday called "Weekend Bloggy Reading" where you link up your favorite post each week. Another MUST attend event! Thanks to Amanda for featuring my project!
So on with my post....
If I'm not around for a couple days, I have a busy few days coming up...a printer repair, a barn sale, Emme's first birthday, Ohio State football, the booth and TONS of projects to finish. TONS.
Any fun stories of "help" from pets, kids, spouses....etc?
Have a great weekend...I'm sharing this at these fantastic link parties:
At Home With K
Kammy's Korner
The Thrifty Home
Restore Interiors
Blue Cricket Design
Savy Southern Style
Very Merry Vintage Style
The Charm of Home
kojo designs
The Shabby Nest
Serenity Now
LaurieAnna's Vintage Home


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The Best Tree Removal in Niles, NYCompare tree removal costs in Niles, NY and save!
What type of tree removal project?Tree Removal Tree Trimming Tree Stump Removal Get Quotes
Get the Best Tree Removal Service in Niles
If you are trying to figure out how to remove a tree in Niles from your yard, then you've come to the right place. CVS Home makes it fast and easy to find reliable, professional, affordable tree removal in Niles, New York. Whether you are looking for nearby tree removal companies or you need ASAP emergency tree removal of a fallen hazardous tree, then CVS Home can help you out. CVS Home screens local companies and has tools that help businesses and homeowner's quickly get free tree removal estimates in order to compare costs and see if the project fits in their budget, and if it does then it also helps them get the lowest Niles tree removal prices. Whether you are looking to hire tree removal service in Niles on a recurring basis, or just need one time service, you won't find a better resource.
How much does tree removal cost in Niles?
What type of tree removal project?Tree Removal Tree Trimming Tree Stump Removal Get Quotes
Or Give Us a call:
(866) 881-8649
Tree Removal Cost in Niles
The average cost to remove a tree in Niles is around $200 to $750 for a typical project. The average cost of tree removal in the City of Niles depends on many different factors including the company that you choose, as well as the types, size (both height and trunk diameter), age and accessibility of the tree. If you are looking for both tree and stump removal, you should expect to pay slightly more (about $100 to $150 for the stump). Complete tree removal in Niles that includes tree debris, trunk removal, shrubs, stump removal, and tree root removal will cost significantly more as trunk and roots are priced separately and require a lot of additional labor. If you have a large project with many different trees, you can expect to pay a tree removal cost per tree.
Choosing the Best Tree Removal Service Company in Niles, NY
Here at CVSHome.org we know how difficult it is to choose the right tree company in Niles. CVS Home researches local Niles tree service companies so you don't have to, all you need to do is compare their prices and choose the best one for your next job. Comparing prices has never been so easy, simply complete the quick form right here and you'll get quotes in minutes via email or phone, whichever you prefer. There's no obligation to choose one of CVSHome.org's local companies, but at the end of the day they're the best in town and it's easy to get the lowest rate. When you are looking at tree removal companies you want to make sure that you choose a company that has the latest and all the necessary tree removal equipment, tools and gear suited for your particular project.
Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?
Depending on the type of plan you have, insurance will typically cover tree removal costs, but not in all cases. It's always a good idea to call your insurance company and get an idea of what type of project they will cover and up to what costs. Your out of pocket expenses will depend on your exact project. Projects that are necessary, such as a downed or fallen tree are typically completely covered, but if you are just looking to improve the appearance of your backyard, then costs won't be covered.
When is DIY tree removal a good option?
In nearly all cases DIY tree removal is frowned upon and we tell people that they shouldn't do it themselves. Tree removal is a dangerous job and that's just one of the reasons it takes so long to become a certified arborist. Most tree companies in Niles carry insurance and liability of over a million dollars, which gives you an idea of how dangerous the job can be. If your tree is very young and less than 8 feet tall, then you can probably get away with doing it yourself.
When is the best time to remove trees in Niles?
The best time to remove a tree in Niles depends on the type and age of the tree. It's best to have a local arborist inspect the tree and they will convey the best time for your particular tree. In most cases early spring is the best time of year to cut down a tree as its' branches and limbs aren't full of leaves.
What tree removal techniques do you implement?
Local Niles experts can use a variety of techniques involving a truck, crane, or even zip line depending on where your tree is located and how tall it is.
Do you ever offer free tree removal service in Niles?
In extremely rare cases, local companies will perform removal without charging fees. This usually only occurs after large storms or natural disasters, and even then it's rare as companies are extremely busy during those times. In some cases you may be able to get free tree removal for lumber, or at least get a reduction in the price.
Does Niles have any local tree removal laws or regulations?
This is a great question to ask local companies during the quote and estimate gathering phase. In some cases you'll need to obtain a permit, which comes with it's own costs. If a permit is needed, be sure to ask whether the application, and the actual fees itself for the permit will be covered by you or is included in the estimate.
What types of trees can you remove?
We can remove nearly any type of tree in Niles. A few of the most common trees are: palm trees, pine trees, willow trees, dead trees, cedar trees, Brazilian pepper trees, tree of heaven and oak trees.
Niles Tree Removal CompaniesMatchbox Excavation & Landscaping - Skaneateles, NY 13152 (4.91 miles from Niles, NY)Trim A Limb Tree Service - Skaneateles, NY 13152 (5.15 miles from Niles, NY)Allywood - Auburn, NY 13021 (8.92 miles from Niles, NY)Full Circle Contracting - Syracuse, NY 13219 (16.39 miles from Niles, NY)Michael Grimm Landscape & Tree Service - Syracuse, NY 13210 (18.63 miles from Niles, NY)Holbrook's Logging Lawn & Tree - Syracuse, NY 13202 (19.69 miles from Niles, NY)Morris Construction - Syracuse, NY 13208 (20.67 miles from Niles, NY)Northeastern Tree Company - Syracuse, NY 13224 (20.93 miles from Niles, NY)Timber Tree Service - Baldwinsville, NY 13027 (24.30 miles from Niles, NY)J. West Lawn & Snow - Syracuse, NY 13212 (25.43 miles from Niles, NY)
Tree Removal Near Niles
Related Services in Niles
What type of tree removal project?Tree Removal Tree Trimming Tree Stump Removal Get Quotes
Rather talk to someone?
Give us a call
(866) 881-8649


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Fender Mustang I 20 Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier Review
Guitar Amp Reviews – The Fender Mustang I 20-watt electric guitar amplifier is another awesome amplifier from the industry leader of top quality amplifiers. This model is packed full of features that is sure to meet or exceed all of your needs. Most real life customers have been delighted with this model. It also received a 5 star rating on Amazon.


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Calex - 4W LED Filament Dimmable Clear 80mm Globe Lamp - ES
Wholesale PricesWhat's this?
Buy More and Save!
The unit price on selected products will reduce when you add the specified quantity to cart.
|5 Units £10.49 (exc. VAT) £12.59 (inc. VAT)
Next day delivery subject to stock availability. Order by 3 pm.
How Can we Help?
- Bulb Type: LED Globe
- Energy class: A+
- Lumens: 350
- Shape: G80
- Voltage: 240V
- Wattage: 4W
- Chip: 6 Filaments
- Cap/base: E27
- Dimmable: YES
- Lifetime: 25,000 hours
- Colour temperature: CLEAR- 2300 K
- Dimensions: 80 x 120 mm
- Manufacturer's code: 425450
Calex is a Dutch brand filled with passion, boldness and creativity. Calex have a passion for innovative lighting that will transform interiors and create a pleasent ambiance to be in.Calex create light bulbs in virtually any shape or size, this is the core business of their product range.Apart from their visible filament, what sets these bulbs apart is their gorgeous shapes. The classic teardrop form will always be popular, but Retro bulbs and Calex take this aesthetic to the next level with giant spherical bulbs or over-sized tubes and tear drops that can be hung in dramatic clusters.
Many of our Calex filament bulbs are also available in a choice of finish - so you can select a rustic, golden hue for intimate dining spaces, and with consumers increasingly looking to work informally from break-out spaces and coffee shops, our clear Calex filament bulbs provide great light and instant retro character. All are engineered to be retrofit in to your existing light fittings - so you can swap out your old bulbs and achieve a design-led interior in less than an hour.
- Code: CX425450
- Page Number in Catalogue: 141


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Frequently Asked Questions
CSB Students
When will graduates receive specific information regarding commencement?
Degree candidates will be sent information from the Office of the Provost by the end of January (by email). This includes information for obtaining your cap and gown, ceremony and lunch tickets, etc. The Registrar's office will also be sending information via email. All commencement information will be posted on this website and will be updated as new information becomes available.
Will my parents also receive information?
You can direct your parents and guests to the commencement website for information about commencement day. A mailing from the Office of the Provost will be sent to parents with the commencement website information. All commencement information for parents and graduates is on the website.
Do small children need a ticket to the commencement ceremony?
Infants to 2-year-old children do not need a ticket, as long as the child is not occupying a seat.
Will a state issued disability hang tag be honored to allow parking on campus and in designated disabled parking areas?
Yes. State issued permits authorizing use of accessible spaces for people with disabilities are honored on campus. Please make sure it is displayed properly. Spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.
How early should guests arrive at the field house for the commencement ceremony?
The doors to the field house will open at 1:00 p.m. for the ceremony. Graduates will begin to assemble at their specified locations at 1:15 p.m. The academic procession of the graduates, faculty and platform party will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m.
How long is the commencement ceremony?
Once the academic procession is complete and the ceremony begins, it will last approximately two hours.
Can I arrange for special needs or disabled seating for a family member at the commencement ceremony?
Each graduate attending the ceremony has an opportunity to inform the college of guests who will be attending for whom special services are needed. Please contact the Office of the Provost. This information will be of assistance to commencement planners so that adequate disability seating is provided in the church. As a graduate, if you have special needs concerning the academic procession or commencement ceremony, please bring this need to the attention of staff in the Office of the Provost.
Can I be seated with my friends at the commencement ceremony?
Graduates are seated in alphabetical order. Those graduating with academic honors are seated separately. You will be given the seating chart in advance of the rehearsal day. You will be given the seating chart before the day of rehearsal.


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Twin Cities Audi Service and Tuning
Ice Out 2010
Category: Events
Posted by: anderson
Mark your calendar for the 2010 Ice Out open house Saturday May 8, from 11 AM to whenever we decide to go home (5 or so). We'll have cars, food and camaraderie as always, and this year probably no snow! We'll have a raffle to benefit the Glacier Lakes chapter of the Audi Club (www.glacierlakesqclub.org) as well. So come out and see all of your fellow Audi enthusiasts and help kick off the 2010 driving season!
- Tire Mounting and Wheel Balancing
- Timing belt service
- Brake service
- Suspension
- General mechanical service
- Performance tuning


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DNR: Don't disturb emerald ash borer boxes
Purple boxes hanging in trees
MADISON, Wis. — If you spot a purple box hanging in a tree this summer, agricultural officials are asking you to "let it be."
Federal, state and local officials overseeing Wisconsin's efforts to deal with the emerald ash borer will set the purple boxes as traps for the ash tree-killing insect. The goal is to find new infestations of the ash borers and track its spread in Wisconsin.
State agricultural officials say as many as 1,100 traps may be set in the next few weeks, mainly in counties where the insect has not yet been found.
The emerald ash borer was first found in Ozaukee County in 2008. It has since been found in 12 additional counties, including Brown, Crawford, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Racine, Rock, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.


text: Show Hide image Politics 11 October 2012 Keeping history on the straight and narrow History in the Making - review. Sign-up History in the Making J H Elliott Yale University Press, 256pp, £17.50 Historians don't have a very good track record when it comes to writing autobiographies. The lives we lead are just too ordinary. Life in the ivory tower doesn't usually make for exciting reading and the archives, committee rooms and lecture theatres where we spend most of our working lives are hardly likely to generate reminiscences that would interest a wide readership. The exceptions to this rule are interesting mainly because of their subjects' lives outside of academia: A J P Taylor's A Personal History has a lot to say about his career in journalism, his participation in the campaign for nuclear disarmament and his involvement in controversy of one kind or another; Eric Hobsbawm's Interesting Times charts his activity in the Communist Party; Michael Howard's Captain Professor narrates his wartime experience and postwar engagement with defence issues; Richard Cobb's anecdotal memories, scattered across a whole range of essays and slim volumes, reflect his conception of himself as a wild, untamed individualist, though one can never be quite sure how much of what he says is true. An element of self-deprecation and irony always helps get the reader on the memoirist's side; it's one of the most engaging qualities in the autobiographies of Taylor and Howard, for instance; and where it's missing, as in Patrick Collinson's The History of a History Man, the resulting narrative comes across as hopelessly dull and naive. Collinson, a specialist on Elizabethan Puritanism, was a fine scholar but remained largely unknown outside his area of expertise; the days when Regius professors were public figures like Hugh Trevor-Roper or his successor Howard are long since gone. The same can be said of John Elliott, who succeeded Howard in the Oxford chair. A specialist in early modern Spanish history, he has produced a string of major works, culminating in a sweeping, brilliant survey, Empires of the Atlantic World: Britain and Spain in America 1492-1830, published in 2006. In his new book, he looks back over his long career and offers some reflections on his work. If this is an autobiography, it is strictly an intellectual one. Unlike Collinson, who threw into his plodding narrative every last detail of his personal life, Elliott confines himself solely to his books. We learn next to nothing here about him as a man. Although he spent a long time researching in Spain while it was still under the dictatorship of General Franco, we don't learn about his opinions of the regime or his experiences under it, except incidentally in so far as they impinged on his writing and research. Unlike Cobb, who wrote entertainingly about the many people he met and knew, Elliott tells us next to nothing about other people. Perhaps the best way to approach this book is to treat it as an extended introduction to Elliott's collected works and those who are familiar with The Count-Duke of Olivares or Imperial Spain 1469-1716 will find much of interest to ponder here. Those who are not will find it hard going. Elliott comes across here as a very English historian, "never having been particularly interested . . . in theoretical approaches to the study of the past" and keenly aware of the role of "personality and contingency in shaping the past". His work is a lot better than the empiricism of these remarks suggests, partly because, having come of age in the 1950s, when materialist approaches to the past were dominant, he has always paid due attention to the interplay of economies and societies with the world of politics. However, he does venture some tentative reflections on the intersection of his writing on Spain in the 17th and 18th centuries and his life in Britain in the second half of the 20th century. Growing up in the postwar era, at a time when Britain was finding it increasingly difficult to keep a grip on its empire, and writing his mature works in the 1970s and 1980s, when British political culture was obsessed with the notion of post-imperial decline, he found compelling parallels in the history of Spain in the decades after it reached its apogee of imperial power under Philip II. However, his reflections are less on the lessons to be learned than on the problem of how decline can be measured or studied: is it economic, political, cultural or merely a state of mind? These questions are covered above all in direct relation to Elliott's own work, so that his conclusions have only limited relevance to historians working in other fields. For all the acuteness of its judgements, this is a book that falls awkwardly between intellectual autobiography and historiographical analysis. Elliott has always been a historian's historian and this book, elegantly written and urbane though it is, remains a book primarily of interest not just to historians but, more narrowly, to historians of early modern Spain. Richard J Evans Regius professor of history at the University of Cambridge. Richard J Evans is regius professor emeritus of history at Cambridge University, and the author of The Third Reich in History and Memory (Abacus) Subscribe For more great writing from our award-winning journalists subscribe for just £1 per month! This article first appeared in the 15 October 2012 issue of the New Statesman, India special SUBSCRIBE More


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| 12.1°C Belfast
Simon Cowell has enjoyed an Easter day out in Los Angeles with girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their baby, Eric.
The music mogul and his family spent Easter Sunday eating lunch in West Hollywood where Simon, 54, played the doting dad, according to the Daily Mirror.
X Factor boss Simon swapped his usual unimpressed expression and critical eye for smiles and coos as he cradled his son, born on Valentine's Day this year.
Simon also kissed and cuddled Lauren, 36, during lunch at The Ivy in Beverly Hills.
His right-hand woman Sinitta recently told Hello!: "He seems so much more calmer and more grounded. It's stressful being an international star, but Eric has given him something bigger.
"It has altered his perspective on life, give him a new identity. But no, I don't think he's changed any nappies yet."


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| 12.7°C Belfast
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not expecting any fireworks when Newcastle boss Alan Pardew returns to the touchline after a seven-match suspension on Monday night.
Pardew was hit with a record sanction from the Premier League after losing his composure and headbutting Hull midfielder David Meyler during the 4-1 win at the KC Stadium on March 1.
The Magpies manager is promising a more relaxed approach and Wenger - who was involved in a heated confrontation with Pardew when at West Ham in November 2006 - feels all bosses must keep their emotions in check.
"He will try to control himself much more," said Wenger.
"You feel frustrated when you are not close to your team physically because you are used to it and you feel you still have a level of intervention. Maybe it is purely subjective, but it exists in your mind.
"It is a job where you are under huge pressure - at the Emirates (Stadium) we had no incidents because the distance between the two managers is big.
"Sometimes you get upset because you hear what the other manager is saying and you go 'what is he doing? Why is he talking to the referee and the fourth official?' At Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, you basically are very close."
"I think it (space between the dugouts) is better for the incidents, for you (media) maybe it is worse."
Wenger added: "Sometimes I stand up, sometimes I sit down, sometimes I speak with (assistant manager) Steve (Bould), but still most of the time I am up.
"Sometimes I try (to stay away from touchline), yes, consciously, because when you get up there you know you are tense.
"I try to sit down when I feel I am in a negative mood, because then on the touchline you can become a handicap and you can have a negative influence (on the players), your presence can be negative."
Newcastle have suffered five consecutive defeats to slip down towards mid-table, which has put scrutiny on the position of Pardew.
By contrast, Wenger has seen his side regain confidence after what was a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out win in the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan.
Since then, Arsenal have won back-to-back Premier League matches and could move four points clear of Everton in the race to secure Champions League qualification after the Toffees lost at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
Wenger accepts the Wembley triumph has restored confidence
"It has been a relief because we knew that it was a tricky game," he said.
"Did we have a bad period because we had to play the semi-final? I don't think so, I just think we knew coming out of a bad period and losing the semi-final would have been terrible for us.
"That is why on the day there was a bit more at stake."


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Planned Giving
Help secure the future of Blue Ridge PBS for your children and your grandchildren.
The Blue Ridge PBS Legacy Society recognizes individuals who have made the station part of their estate plan. These gifts often reflect decades of appreciation by viewers who have valued Blue Ridge PBS for its exceptional programming, community endeavors and education services to teachers and students.
A variety of giving options is available such as a simple bequest, a charitable remainder trust, real estate and other tangible property. Please work with your legal or tax advisor to determine the best gift for your intentions.
For additional information www.svenskkasinon.se - cadastre of casino needed to make a planned gift to Blue Ridge PBS, please call Will Anderson at 540-983-1795 or 888.332.7788.


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Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons.
There are many kinds of liver diseases:
Symptoms of liver disease can vary, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in the color of your stool and urine, and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Tests such as imaging tests and liver function tests can check for liver damage and help to diagnose liver diseases.


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Today being Bastille Day, as I have every year for many years I mark the occasion not by celebration, but by wearing black and stopping in at church to pray for my ancestors who were killed by godless leftists in the French Revolution. It is rather fitting, then, that tonight the Tocqueville Forum at Georgetown, named for the 19th century French political theorist Alexis de Tocqueville, will be screening writer-director Whit Stillman's "Last Days of Disco". Both de Tocqueville and Stillman regret the cheapening of traditional values in their own communities and times, but each holds out hope that – in America at least – through the influence of religion such values are by no means dead and buried, despite the best efforts of moral relativism.
In his thinking and writing de Tocqueville – whose parents had had to flee the guillotine – was committed to the restoration of order and tradition in France, so that the ideals of classical liberalism he believed in could grow naturally, rather than through violent means. Stillman, working in the arts rather than public policy, has been chronicling the decline of the urban haute bourgeoisie of which he is a member, as ideals become cheapened through association with and the ascendancy of the seedier side of life. Both in their respective worlds witnessed an erosion of the high value formerly placed on good moral judgement, true talent, and even personal style, and its replacement by an embrace of lowest common denominator pandering.
In "Democracy in America" de Tocqueville (himself a Catholic), noted that Catholicism was flourishing in the United States, alongside many other religions, which in conjunction made sure that while religion did not rule the state, it informed the way people behaved toward one another and in public life. He was pleased to note that, as of 1831 anyway, worship of the state had not trumped the worship of God in the United States, as he had witnessed in France. The accompanying siren song of libertine moral relativism was kept muffled in America by the fact that there was a common moral good, upheld by religious people as being more important than the good of the state:
Hitherto no one, in the United States, has dared to advance the maxim that everything is permissible with a view to the interests of society – an impious adage, which seems to have been invented in an age of freedom to shelter all the tyrants of future ages. Thus while the law permits the Americans to do what they please, religion prevents them from conceiving, and forbids them to commit, what is rash or unjust.
Stillman of course is working in the arts rather than political theory. Yet in "Last Days of Disco" as in his other films, Stillman casts an accusing glance at the embrace of libertine behavior. What are supposedly well-brought-up girls like his two central characters of Charlotte and Alice (played, respectively, by Kate Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny) doing mixing with men who embrace moral relativism over virtue and self-sacrifice? In probably the most well-known part of the film, Stillman has the idealistic young attorney Josh (Matt Keeslar) criticize the message of amorality which he perceives as integral to Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp" in discussion with Charlotte and Alice:
There is something depressing about it, and it's not really about dogs. Except for some superficial bow-wow stuff at the start, the dogs all represent human types, which is where it gets into real trouble. Lady, the ostensible protagonist, is a fluffy blond Cocker Spaniel with absolutely nothing on her brain. She's great-looking, but – let's be honest – incredibly insipid. Tramp, the love interest, is a smarmy braggart of the most obnoxious kind – an oily jailbird out for a piece of tail, or whatever he can get…He's a self-confessed chicken thief, and all-around sleazeball.
What's the function of a film of this kind? Essentially as a primer on love and marriage directed at very young people, imprinting on their little psyches the idea that smooth-talking delinquents recently escaped from the local pound are a good match for nice girls from sheltered homes. When in ten years the icky human version of Tramp shows up around the house, their hormones will be racing and no one will understand why. Films like this program women to adore jerks.
This is a process which continues today, of course. For example, if decades ago the press in the United States was captivated by the (admittedly choreographed) wedding of the elegant and talented Grace Kelly; today media in the United States appears captivated by the (unabashedly choreographed) wedding of – and I am being exceedingly kind here – the inelegant and untalented Kim Kardashian. Whereas the former event allowed us to dream, the latter gives us nightmares. And I suspect – though admittedly without being able to state for certain – that both de Tocqueville and Stillman would agree to some extent that this is a natural result of a decline in the standards of what people ought to aspire to or seek to emulate, as a result of American society turning its back on traditional values of morality, and the attempts to marginalize religion in favor of the worship of celebrities, or of oneself.
Nevertheless, rather than wring their hands, de Tocqueville and Stillman are not pessimists – at least not as far as America is concerned. In looking at the America he observed first-hand, de Tocqueville saw that there was much good coming out of the American experiment with democracy, even if it was by no means a perfect system. His belief that the role of religion in American society is ultimately a positive one should give those who would otherwise despair some hope that not all is yet lost.
Similarly, Stillman sings a lament for the trashing or watering down of American ideals he believes in, but never adopts the attitude that the United States will somehow fully succumb to selfishness. The importance of the words of traditional religious hymns, which come to bear repeatedly throughout "Last Days of Disco", give him and us at least some sense that the role of religion in American life is, while under attack, never going to be completely barred from the public square. Indeed, the character of Josh, arguably the most religious of the bunch, gives an impassioned proclamation that, "Disco will never die!", even as he and Alice head off into an old-fashioned, self-sacrificial type of happy ending in which disco music is merely something fun to dance to, rather than providing moral guidance to live by. And Stillman ends his film not with the soul-disco classic "Love Train", which appears over the first part of the final credits, but instead with the traditional hymn "Amazing Grace".
In the end, both de Tocqueville and Stillman remain hopeful that, even if it will be a difficult path back, virtue will ultimately triumph, and this will come about because the important role religion plays in American society will provide the stability that such a re-emergence of virtue needs.
Kate Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny navigate the "Last Days of Disco"


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Strong dollar may hit profits, kill stock rallyMarch 21, 2013: 12:59 PM ET
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.
The U.S. dollar is looking pretty strong lately, compared to the yen and the euro. While that might sound like great news, it could actually put the market rally in jeopardy.
Corporate profits could take a hit in the first quarter if the greenback keeps bulking up. In fact, software giant Oracle (ORCL) said Wednesday that its latest quarterly sales and earnings would have been better if the dollar hadn't strengthened as much as it did during the past three months.
The hit to earnings wasn't that dramatic. But Oracle's results missed forecasts and the punishment was brutal. Shares plunged nearly 10% Thursday morning.
And there are no signs that the dollar will pull back anytime soon.
The U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against the euro, yen and four other major currencies, has gained nearly 4% so far this year, and is not far from its 52-week high. Such a move may not sound like much but it is pretty dramatic in the world of forex.
If this trend continues, scores of blue chips with large chunks of revenue coming from international markets could all report currency-related hits to their sales and earnings when they announce first-quarter results next month. That's bad news, considering that analysts already have pretty weak forecasts for corporate profits this quarter.
According to John Butters, senior earnings analyst with FactSet Research Systems, profits for companies in the S&P 500 are expected to dip about 0.6% in the first quarter from a year ago. At the start of the year, analysts had been expecting an annual earnings increase of 2.2%.
Considering that stocks have largely been rallying on hopes of healthy profits, despite sluggish economic growth in the U.S. and Japan and a recession in most of Europe, the fact that estimates are coming down is not a good sign.
Related: What's next for the markets?
Butters pointed out that consumer products makers Procter & Gamble (PG) and Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), energy giant Chevron (CVX), drug developers Merck (MRK) and Pfizer (PFE) and tech titans Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) all discussed the stronger dollar as being a negative in the fourth quarter.
He believes more companies will say it's an even bigger concern in the first quarter. And the impact could be broad.
A strong dollar hurts large U.S. companies in two ways. First, the value of sales from overseas wind up being reduced once they are translated from weaker foreign currencies back into dollars. In addition, a stronger dollar makes it tougher for American multinationals to compete with global rivals since the price of exported goods and services rise with the value of the dollar.
Concerns about pricing and export demand are exactly why Japan has taken aggressive steps to devalue the yen this year. That's likely to continue. And shares of several leading Japanese companies, such as Sony (SNE), Toyota Motor (TM) and Panasonic (PC) have all rallied in 2013 on hopes that the suddenly puny yen will boost sales and profits of their products abroad.
Related: Japan's economy begins to grow again
Japan's actions have sparked worries of a currency war as well. So far, the U.S. is losing that battle -- even though the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing policy of buying bonds to keep long-term rates low should help lower the value of the dollar.
But the problem for the Fed and U.S. companies is that QE won't really dent the dollar that much as long as Japan is being even more proactive and Europe remains in crisis mode.
Fears of what could happen if Cyprus is forced to leave the eurozone are helping push down the euro's value against the dollar and other currencies. Cyprus is in serious trouble after its bailout was nixed due to criticism of a bank deposit tax that was a condition of the rescue.
Related: Clock is ticking to save Cyprus bailout plan
The U.S. is once again being viewed as a relatively safe haven among developed markets. The dollar may not necessarily be healthy -- especially since politicians in Washington are doing their best to weaken the economy by refusing to compromise on a budget deal -- but it is the least sick of the major currencies.
The dollar has a cold. Japan has pneumonia. And the euro might succumb to the bubonic plague if Cyprus gets the boot and ignites fears of bank runs and more economic chaos in Greece, Italy and Spain.
So unless you're planning a trip to Europe or Japan this spring, it may not be wise to root for a stronger dollar. If more companies get hurt like Oracle did, it's going to be a lot harder for the stock market to remain near record highs.


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OK, so maybe not extravaganza. But Glendora and San Dimas both have meetings tonight.
On tap: Glendora, in its consent calender, is approving a number of street and constructing projects. A slurry seal project for Route 66 between Lone Hill Avenue and Lorraine Ave for about $140,000 should be approved. Also a Gladstone Street Water Improvement should be approved for about $612,000.
As for new business on the agenda, Glendora will be discussing the naming of its new Library Expansion Room
In San Dimas, a public hearing will go over the performance report for fiscal year 2008-2009 and the proposed fiscal year 2009-2010 projected use of funds.
Glendora's city council meeting is in council chambers at 7 p.m., 116 E. Foothill Blvd.
San Dimas' council meeting is in council chambers at 7 p.m., 245 E. Bonita Ave.


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In Lingerie wears down favorite in Black-Eyed Susan Stakes
Pletcher runners 1-2 in Grade 2 test
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Gary Barber's In Lingerie was relentless in pursuit, wearing down front-running favorite Mamma Kimbo in deep stretch on her way to a 1 ¼-length victory in the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2).
John Velazquez rode the lightly raced daughter of Empire Maker for trainer Todd Pletcher, who was also represented by the second-place finisher Disposablepleasure. The latter had to check sharply not long after the start, but she too was a determined runner in her effort to take the runner-up spot.
"That was a big effort to run 1-2 like that. I'm pleasantly happy," Pletcher said. "We were pretty concerned at the start because one of the things Johnny and I talked about in the paddock was that she might have to make a wide sweep. It took her a little while to settle into stride and Johnny had no choice but to put her out pretty wide on the backside. I thought at the top of the stretch she was in pretty good shape, and she made a strong run in the stretch. I felt pretty comfortable coming to the sixteenth-pole. I think she made a big step forward to be one of the leaders of her division today."
"She stumbled there, but she got a good position in the first turn," Velazquez said. "I just wanted to get good position into the first turn, and we did and after that it was pretty easy for us."
Wildcat's Smile rallied just behind the winner but was passed by Disposablepleasure in the final strides and finished third. Mamma Kimbo gave way late to be fourth.
"I thought she ran a huge race. She kind of got squeezed a little bit at the top of the stretch, but she kept running and gave a real good account of herself. She ran more than a respectable race. She finally ran the way we expected her to all winter," Pletcher said of Disposablepleasure.
"I saved ground. I had a beautiful trip, but I had to wait at the quarter pole. I had to go around and lost momentum. I should have won the race. I had the best in there," said Javier Castellano, Disposablepleasure's jockey.
"She ran very well. She wasn't able to save ground on the first turn. She ran very well," said Dominic Galluscio, trainer of Wildcat's Smile.
"She really ran great and the race set up really well. They sort of forced me into a middle move early on going into the second turn when the winner came out outside of us. She is very talented and she ran great today," Rosie Napravnik, jockey of Wildcat's Smile.
Pletcher previously won the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in 2005 with Spun Sugar and 2007 with Panty Raid. Velazquez won this race in 1998 with Added Gold, in 2003 with Roar Emotion and delivered aboard Spun Sugar in 2005.
In Lingerie, who had won the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in her previous start, completed the nine furlongs in 1:52.07 and paid $9.80.
"It's a little far for her. She was trying, but it's just too far. She can get it with the right conditions. I knew it was a little bit beyond her limitations. She's a good filly and I'd like t keep her a little bit shorter," said Bob Baffert, trainer of Mamma Kimbo, which finished fourth. Baffert's Bodemeister is running in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday.
"She broke well and was well within herself early. Things were going OK early but it just wasn't our day. I guess it wasn't a good trip," said Mike Smith, jockey of Mamma Kimbo.
"I thought that she ran a really good race. She was stepping up into some really good company and there were some toughies in this race for her. She ran hard. She ran evenly as well and hopefully she will run a little better next time," said Corey Nakatani, jockey of Glinda the Good, which finished fifth.
"Ramon felt that she didn't maybe handle the track out there. Halfway through the race she wasn't giving him anything. She's been training so well going into this, I have to imagine she didn't handle the surface here. We'll have to draw a line through it and regroup with her. I know she's a lot better than that," said Chad Brown, trainer of Welcome Guest, which finished sixth.
"I had a good trip, but she did not get hold of the track and that was it," said Ramon Dominguez, jockey of Welcome Guest.
"She ran her race. She was just in a little tough," said Graham Motion, trainer of Zucchini Flower, which finished seventh.
"She gave me a great run around there today. I don't really have any excuses. I was just trying to get her out there to get a piece of it. She gave me everything I asked of her," said Sheldon Russell, jockey of Zucchini Flower.
"She's a nice filly. She ran real well, but when the running got going, she just didn't have enough," said Rodney Jenkins, trainer of Plum, which finished eighth.
"The race was good but she was around a lot of horses and she doesn't like to be around any horses. I was very disappointed in the spot that we got. She will definitely run better next time and I'll have her in a better spot than I did today," said Abel Castellano, jockey of Plum.
"We took. It's now back to synthetics and the turf," said Tim Hills, trainer of Oaks Filly, which finished ninth.
"She's fine. We were just not in it at the end. No sense going after her late where we were," said Julien Leparoux, jockey of Oaks Filly.


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New York Times Reminds Freelancers Not to Accept Free Things, in All Caps
Here's a totally friendly memo from the New York Times that went out to all their freelancers, apropos of nothing in particular, reminding them to please not accept free stuff. Looks like someone is in trouble!
Ever since the Times defended and then fired Mike Albo for going on a JetBlue and Thrillist-sponsored trip to Jamaica, they've been firing freelancers for violating their incredibly strict ethics guidelines left and right. We can only assume that this helpful reminder to not accept the only perks that make life as a freelancer worthwhile was inspired by some forthcoming revelation of more Times freelancer misbehavior.
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From: NYT PACT/SYS/NYTIMES
Date: Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Subject: TO ALL NEW YORK TIMES FREELANCERS: PLEASE READ
To: email@example.com
This is a reminder about The Times's ethics policies for journalists.
As you know, The Times takes very seriously the issue of conflicts of interest and other problems that might undermine the credibility of our journalism.
Your freelance contract obliges you to comply with the applicable provisions of The Times's policy on Ethical Journalism (http://www.nytco.com/pdf/NYT_Ethical_Journalism_0904.pdf ) and to take care to avoid conflicts or the appearance of a conflict. The provisions pertaining specifically to outside contributors are reproduced below, but you should review the entire document. Readers do not distinguish between freelancers and staff reporters in The Times, so as far as possible we expect outside contributors to adhere to the same standards as Times staff members.
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For Your Information:
Here are the policies on "Outside Contributors," from "Ethical Journalism/A Handbook of Values and Practices for the News and Editorial Departments of The New York Times, September 2004," p. 44.
152. Times readers apply exacting standards to the entire paper. They do not distinguish between staff written articles and those written by outsiders. Thus as far as possible, freelance contributors to The Times, while not its employees, will be held to the same standards as staff members when they are on Times assignments, including those for the Times Magazine. If they violate these guidelines, they will be denied further assignments.
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154. The contracts' concise provisions cannot cover every circumstance that might arise. Assigning editors should ensure that contributors are aware of this document and to the greatest extent possible, in fact honor its provisions while on assignment for The Times. Any disagreement over whether a specific provision applies to outside contributors should be resolved before the assignment proceeds.
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outside contributors meet the strict standards outlined in Section 12 above for the business and financial news staff.


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Managing Director Interviewed by CommSec
CommSec's Juliana Roadley speaks with Central Petroleum (CTP) Managing Director, Richard Cottee about the company's acquisition of a 50% stake in the Mereenie Oil and Gas field from Santos (ASX:STO).
To view the video interview with CommSec, please visit:
About Central Petroleum Limited
Central Petroleum Limited (ASX:CTP) is an oil and gas explorer and producer listed on the Australian Securities Exchange focused on supplying the domestic gas market. Central is advancing several separate projects across what is regarded as the biggest package of proven and prospective oil and gas acreage across central Australia. This spread of assets gives Central multiple options for growth and development. 88% of this land being gas prone has led to the Company's focus on becoming a major domestic gas producer.
Santos Limited
Central Petroleum Limited


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Arrives in 3-7 Business Days
Look out for Julie's new book, The Stars in Our Eyes.
The secrets of love, health, and happiness gleaned from a life lived with dogs.
Julie Klam was thirty, single, and working as a part-time clerk in an insurance company, unable to meet a man she could spend her life with. And then it happened: she had a dream about a Boston terrier- a dream that practically hit her over the head. The companion she needed was not necessarily the one she'd had in mind.
As fate would have it, a dog is exactly the thing that she needed. The New York Times bestselling You Had Me at Woof is the often-hilarious and always charming story of one woman's discovery of all she really needed to learn about life through her relationships with her canine companions. Klam shares how her love for dogs and the lessons she's learned caring for them has shaped her heart. This is a funny, earnest, and emotionally compelling look at the surprises, pleasures, and revelations that happen when you let any mutt, beagle, terrier, or bulldog go charging through your world.


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After the death of analog, whither Tokyo Tower?
As everybody by now knows, Sunday, July 24 marked the end of analog TV broadcasts in Japan. However, the capital's new broadcast tower, Tokyo Sky Tree, won't begin sending out digital signals until May 12 next year, which means the iconic Tokyo Tower still has a reason to exist until then. The big question is: Will it have a reason afterwards?
According to Tokyo Shimbun, the operators of Tokyo Tower lobbied the key broadcast companies to retain some of their business after Tokyo Sky Tree itself becomes operational. However, all six TV networks have decided to move their broadcast functions to TST. In terms of broadcasting, Tokyo Tower will remain a backup facility in the very unlikely event that TST is down. This will be a big blow to Tokyo Tower. Its revenues in 2010 amounted to ¥5.48 billion — ¥2.9 billion for tourism and ¥2.58 for renting out broadcast functions to TV and FM radio stations.
With the broadcast functions gone, Tokyo Tower will have to rely almost completely on tourism for its income; that and cutting expenses. And even there, TST had the advantage of being newer and taller. It opens to the public on May 22, and Tobu, the main investor, projects a whopping 25 million visitors in the first year. Tokyo Tower's peak tourist year was 1989, when 3.8 million people visited. Afterwards, attendance dropped to a bit over 2 million by the turn of the century, and then the management implemented an image makeover that included live performances and special events. Attendance creeped up to about 3 million by 2006.
That, in fact, seems to be the strategy. Rather than compete with TST for out-of-towners, Tokyo Tower will makes its appeal to Tokyoites, whom the management hopes will look at the iconic structure with both nostalgia and a sense of permanence. Construction of Tokyo Tower started in 1956 from discarded armaments used in the Korean War, and represents to many Japan's emergence from its darkest period. Another advantage Tokyo Tower will have over the younger upstart is pricing. Total costs of the Tokyo Sky Tree is estimated at ¥65 billion, and the price of a ticket to the main observatory will be ¥3,000 for adults. Tokyo Tower only charges ¥600 just to get to the top, and ¥1,420 to go to both observatory stations. Will that make a difference? Apparently, the insurance company Daiichi Seimei thinks so. According to a study the company carried out, it projects only 3 million visitors a year will come to TST, the same as Tokyo Tower now.


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Hello Folks. Well basically hello to no one because no one supports the cause anymore. I'm back off hiatus bitches! Smile, be happy, you know you want to :)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Return of Kimmie E
Posted by kimmie e at 3:30 PM 1 comments
Labels: kimmie e and dom
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Kanye In GQ
Posted by Doe Cheese at 12:39 AM 0 comments
Labels: Kanye West
R.I.P. Sean Taylor
Posted by Doe Cheese at 12:32 AM 0 comments
Labels: r.i.p.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Bow Wow and Angela Simmons
Aww so cute. The mini hip hop royalty lol. Why so far away though? Don't try to hide it!
-Doe Chee$e
Posted by Doe Cheese at 7:53 PM 0 comments
Labels: bow wow
Friday, November 16, 2007
Spice Up Your Life!
Posted by Doe Cheese at 3:29 PM 0 comments
Labels: spice girls
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Kanye West's Mom, Donda West Passes Away
Posted by Doe Cheese at 11:11 PM 0 comments
Labels: Kanye West
Monday, November 5, 2007
Eye Candy of the Week: Chris Brown
Young and sexy. Did I mention he is legal! Ow Ow. Chris Brown has a certain swagga that is undeniable, but he is still a cutie! His new cd drops tomorrow...Exclusive. Go get it and keep doin ya thing boo.
-Doe Chee$e
Posted by Doe Cheese at 11:38 AM 0 comments
Labels: chris brown, Eye Candy
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I cold steep the dark malts. I mash the base and crystal malts together, just because that's similar to making beers with no roasted malts. Get the pH correct for the mash, and when it is converted and time is up, I transfer the liquid then vorlauf and sparge. Some also add the roast grains to the sparge and go with it.
Hello, if i want to do a porter style with all dark and crystal grains mashed on the sparging, can i neglect the acidification effect of those malts? if yes, i just take the effect of base malts and apply some phosporic acid to achieve a ph 5.2-5.4 on the mash tun?do you have a better option?thanks!
What kind of flavor difference do you get here? Significantly less acrid/roasty character?I've been thinking about trying this with an existing recipe, but I want to make sure I account for it in my recipe.
There was a Zymurgy article by Mary Ann Gruber about this back around 2000 or so. Use the sear h function on the AHA page for Zymurgy to find it. On my phone right now.


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Via MacNN, Torgeir Waterhouse of the Norwegian Consumer Council has responded to Steve Jobs' "thoughts on DRM" published yesterday. In that open letter, Steve Jobs repudiated the concept of DRM while simultaneously defending Apple's refusal to license FairPlay, and ultimately blamed the record companies for the whole mess. Not surprisingly, that letter has done nothing to change Norway's stance on the iTunes Store, that being it is illegal, nor the date by which the situation must be rectified, October 1st. Togeir Waterhouse did say that Norway was "happy" to see Steve addressing the issue of DRM, and then went on to deconstruct the letter.
"[Steve Jobs] also goes on to turn the whole issue on its head by stating iPod owners are not locked into [the] iTunes Music Store - the issue our complaint [addresses] is of course the opposite, iTunes Music Store customers are locked to the iPod."
While this is true, it is also true that other companies, such as Microsoft, pursue a similar strategy, something Steve Jobs argued. It would have been nice if the Norwegians would have taken the opportunity to explicitly condemn those companies too, but that issue was sidestepped.
"The fact remains that both iTunes Music Store and others are unfair to consumers no matter how many download services follow the proprietary approach."
Even more disappointing is a curt dismissal of the argument that it is the record labels who are ultimately responsible for the situation. Instead, Waterhouse put the blame on Apple, as "they're still the company that's selling music to the consumers and are responsible for offering the consumer a fair deal according to Norwegian law."
Expanding the idea of corporate responsibility for a moment, one wonders whether Microsoft has a responsibility to Mac users in Norway. Since the company has ceased development of WMP for the Mac, it has effectively eliminated even the possibility of WMP-based media with DRM for the Mac, but that apparently doesn't matter.
It must be nice to live in a place where such a simplistic view of the world can be made into a cause for action so easily. Welcome to Norway: it's all Apple's fault.


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Please Note: The above PRICE is subject to change by landlord without prior notice. Price and availability have to checked at the time or enquiry.
Hotline: (+84) 906-358-359 WhatsApp, Messenger, Zalo, Viber, KakaoTalk, Line, Telegram
Email: email@example.com
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Our agency service is rich in integrity and commonsense, high in results and proven client satisfaction. All our staff live locally and we know HCMC and all the surrounding suburbs like the back of our hands. The ability to communicate clearly with customers and work effectively. Ensure clear communication between all people involved from the owners, serviced apartment managers, current tenants and customers who search for the house. Many customers have already entrusted us and a searching for their homes in HCMC, Vietnam. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
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Our mission is to find you a home and our method is trust and transparency. With tons of properties in almost every neighborhood across the city, we're here to help you find your next home. Choose property that meets your needs whether it's for medium, long-term stays. Answer a few simple questions, we'll find the best matches for you.


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(Pocket-lint) - Looking at the Garmin 550t (t standing for topographical maps), you would be forgiven for thinking someone had handed you the previous version. It's so alike, that at first we thought that Garmin had just sent us the wrong unit.
Why? Well it comes in virtually the same rugged casing, features the same 3-inch screen, and allows you to find geocaches with ease. It's powered by the same two AA batteries, features the same user interface and, well, is virtually the same in everyway possible.
It's not until you start to look closely that you can spot the differences. The first and most major of which are around the back of the device.
Rather than have to worry about carrying a digital camera with you to nab proof of your finds, Garmin has now added a 3.2-megapixel camera complete with digital zoom.
Accessed at the touch of a button, you can grab pictures of your geocache, or anything else for that matter, and store it to upload later. Images are geotagged as you would expect and rather like Navman's slow to take off NavPix service, you can choose to navigate to the picture directly via the included software on the unit. In real terms though, it means that the GPS location is saved to the EXIF information of the image, which in turn means that when you share images with services like Flickr or Panoramio you can find them on a map.
In use and the addition of a camera makes perfect sense: it's easy to use, and while the 4x digital zoom isn't that helpful (remember digital zooms only zoom in on the image, not the object you are taking a picture of) the fact that the camera is there is good enough.
As for the quality? It's what you would expect from a 3.2-megapixel camera and while most geocachers have mobile phones with cameras built-in, it saves that frustrating upload when you are back at your computer or downloading an image from your camera/phone to go with the "I've completed this cache" log.
But it's not just the camera that has been added to try and convince you to part with your cash. The screen, something that we complained about with the 400t, has also been improved. It's now brighter, which in turn means you can actually see it when out and about in the field.
When we say brighter, it's not mobile phone bright, but it's still an improvement and certainly makes a difference. Direct sunlight will still beat you (Garmin needs to talk to Olympus on making non-reflective screens) but you don't need to hide in your coat as much.
Other new features are even harder to notice, Waypoints get doubled from 1000 to 2000 and routes are increased from 50 to 200.
So that's the differences, but if you haven't played with the 400t, what's the 550t actually like?
Robust is probably the best way to describe the design. It's certainly good enough to be dropped (we know, we tried) with a hard, but rubberised casing protecting all the gubbins inside. Indented on the front is a 3-inch touchscreen display while the on/off button, USB socket and battery release catch are the only other elements that mark the flush design.
Lifting the battery release catch reveals two AA batteries. The inclusion of AA batteries rather than a purpose built lithium-ion offering is welcomed as it means you don't need to find a power supply - ideal for when you're far from home or civilisation.
When it comes to controlling the Oregon 550t it's all via the touchscreen, not great if it's cold as you'll have to loose the gloves, however the screen is responsive. Features are either listed six to a screen with the ability to scroll through them very much like the iPhone, or in a list format top to bottom.
Scrolling through the menu system is very easy thanks to the up/down buttons at the bottom of the screen.
Core to the product of course is the mapping system that allows you multiple views of your location down to 20ft. If the top down approach isn't for you, the 550t also offers a 3D view as well as other features like Elevation Plot, the ability to find nearby Points Of Interest, and set waypoints to name but a few.
Mapping is 3D worldwide, but you can also buy add-ons as microSD cards for street mapping (£79.99), marine mapping and topographic maps.
For those who like geocaching, there is a geocaching.com app included so you can send geocache locations straight to your handset. You'll need to download a plug-in from Garmin (listed in the manual) but once that's done all that is left for you to do is connect the 550t to the computer.
Yes the download is Mac, PC and Linux compatible and once installed the app then allows you to manage your caches. It's incredibly easy, incredibly lazy, but best of all ditches the need to carry around scraps of paper, or learning how to type in a lat/long coordinate into the thing (you can do that as well). Those looking to go old school also get a digital compass as well.
Besides the GPS functionalities of the handset the Oregon 550t also offers an image viewer, (randomly) a calendar, calculator, sun and moon times, alarm clock, stopwatch and best times to fish and hunt on any given day - love it.
Recommending that you upgrade from your previous 400t would be a hard thing for us to do. Yes you get the camera and a better screen, but the core functionality here is the same and both units are fairly expensive.
If, however, you've been put off from signing up because of worries of the screen on the 400t then this is a good time to jump in.
The addition of the camera is a logical one rather than a must have and the new improved waypoint and route counts are likely to only appeal to a hardcore set (you know who you are).
The only gripe we would have is the cost. Like the 400t, the 550t is expensive, £468 ($600) expensive, meaning this is one for the regular geocacher rather than someone who would do it on a "I'm bored this weekend", kind of moment. That said, for the price you do reduce your hassle and need to understand technology to a minimum.
In our 400t review we winged that the screen was too dull. Garmin have fixed that so it only seem far for us to up the score from an 8 to a 9 for this model.


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Picture: Shutterstock
Nearly 30 million people are living in slavery across the globe, many of them men, women and children trafficked by gangs for sex work and unskilled labour, according to a global slavery index.
The index, released on Thursday by anti-slavery charity Walk Free Foundation, ranked 162 countries on the number living in slavery, the risk of enslavement, and the strength of government responses to combating the illegal activity.
It found that 10 countries accounted for 76 percent of the 29.8 million people living in slavery - India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Modern slavery was defined as human trafficking, forced labour, and practices such as debt bondage, forced marriage, and the sale or exploitation of children.
Researcher Kevin Bales said he hoped the index, the first annual report to monitor slavery globally, would raise public awareness as numbers were at an all-time high and it would increase pressure on governments to take more action.
He dismissed the view that poverty was the key factor behind slavery and instead blamed corruption, calling for laws to stop organised gangs.
"Consistently when we analysed the statistics we found that corruption came out as more powerful than poverty in driving slavery," said Bales, a professor of contemporary slavery at the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull in northern England.
"Fundamentally this is a violent crime issue."


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Although the press release from the Supreme Court of India about the Restatements of Indian Law appeared last October, I only recently noticed that the first three restatements were available for purchase. The first three restatement topics are: legislative privilege, contempt of court, and public interest litigation.
The restatements are a joint project of the Indian Law Institute and the Supreme Court Project Committee of Restatement of Indian Law.
The press release mentions that three separate publishers were selected for the restatements: Lexis Nexis-Butterworths; CCH,and Universal Law Publishing Co. In the future, it would be nice to have the restatements posted on the Legal Information Institute of India (LIIofIndia) or IndLII.
From the Press Release
Legislative Privilege – This subject was chosen partly on account of the sharp focus it brings to the principle of 'checks and balances' vis-a-vis the two important organs of State – the Legislature and the Judiciary.
Contempt of Court – The subject was chosen on account of the fact that the power of contempt is a necessary concomitant of a court of record. It must be exercised judiciously, in a manner that balances the need for preserving and upholding the rule of law as well as the integrity of the judicial system, while at the same time avoiding untoward incursions into that precious right of freedom of speech and expression.
Public Interest Litigation – The Committee chose 'Public Interest Litigation' as the third area for restatement on account of the unique contribution of the Supreme Court of India in facilitating access to justice by liberalizing the principle of locus standi. The circuitous journey of PIL and associated discrete judicial thoughts necessitated a clarion, which this restatement aims at.


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Once in awhile it's fun to pick up an old classic, and this was a good choice. It reminded me a lot of Three Men in a Boat. Written in 1938, The Code of the Woosters features Bertie Wooster (an upper class lovable but gormless character) foolishly stumbling and bumbling through slapstick adventures, only to be saved each and every time, by his wise and intelligent butler Jeeves. Wodehouse wrote many instalments and series about these two, all poking fun at the British idle rich, and always with Jeeves cleverly and boldly unraveling the whole convoluted mess, in his calm, collected, and elegant manner.
Old British comedy is often absurd, capitalizing on simple situations and misunderstandings that just get worse and worse (think Fawlty Towers and Black Adder). Jeeves and Wooster episodes aired in Britain in the 90's. I have included here a youtube with bits from this book. I loved watching British comedy icons Hugh Laurie (Bertie Wooster) and Stephen Fry (Jeeves), but also unexpectedly Highclere Castle (from Downton Abbey fame) makes an appearance as Totleigh Towers! Who knew?